The participants base their argumentation on the example of the figure of the “Sacrifice of Isaac” which is said to have moved Gregory of Nyssa to tears.

Molanus criticises depicting the story of Charles Martel and St. Giles because it could give rise to a dangerous error, namely the idea that one could receive redemption through the intermediation of saints.

Molanus argues that impudence in paintings should be avoided since it stimulates carnal desires instead of devotion.

Molanus condemns images depicting idols and other heretic symbols.

The Frenchman Matheo Carreras criticized the saint’s images, stating that those which are in the church “are nothing but sticks”.

At the beginning of his treatise, Giovanni Andrea Gilio addresses his initial motives for dedicating himself to the subject of artists’ mistreatment of art.

Molanus referes to the contemporary custom of the use of ancient images to contemplate one’s own behaviour and their value for keeping people away from sins.

Molanus disapproves of artworks depicting apocryphal stories of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

Molanus argues that the placement of St. Paul on the Papal seal should not rise to quarrel and debate.

Molanus affirms the antiquity of the use of Fides, Spes, and Charitas in painting and gives an example from a monastery in Holland.

Luis Rebollo and Juan Cigueba, two Moriscos, were ordered to pay for a new cross

In contrast to poetic painting, in historical painting, there is almost no freedom.

While analysing the painting of the Holy Trinity, Pacheco condemned the iconography of it in which a man with three faces or heads is represented, in the manner of Janus or Gerión (Father Martin de Roa), called it as a “diabolical fiction” (Molanus): this iconography made sane people scandalised, as well as the ignorant man commit mistakes.

Molanus argues that the good thief has to be placed at the right of Christ.

Molanus affirms that the prevalence of certain iconographies is because of their popularity among the common people and that, as long as they do not contain impious elements, there is nothing wrong with this.

Molanus argues that artists should follow the pictorial tradition set by other artists or study the written sources regarding the subject.

Playing cards coming from France, on which there were defamatory figurations of the pope and the church

In this part of the dialogue, the participants discuss inadmissible sources that the artist should not use, such as the Infantia Salvatoris or the Acts of Clement. They also instruct the artist not to follow the opinion of the masses, but that of scholars, authoritative and approved authors.

Following Molanus’s studies, Pacheco confirms that the saint can be depicted with his armour knight, with the sign of the Cross, the sword, and the spear. Also, in an allegorical representation, painting the saint as a maiden with a lamb, is also possible.

Molanus reaffirms that in churches no image must be present that could lead to a dangerous error among the uneducated.

Molanus condemns the artistic practice of depicting the Infant Jesus naked.

Molanus assesses the usefulness to Christians of images and statues of pagan gods and ancient philosophers and concludes that only in a few cases they are of value.

It’s indicated that Juan Guadalid said that the Christians believe in “that” stick because was believed that they worshipped on the crosses that were on the roads, which were made of sticks.

Using one artwork made by Jeronimo Nadal and one painted by Mase Pedro Campaña as examples, Pacheco analysed how to represent the story about the presentation of the Christ-child in the temple.